Newsbytes - Internationa…ews 1983 May to 1994 June/Newsbytes - International Computing Industry News 1994 Edition - May 1983 - June 1994 - Wayzata Technologies (5045) (1994).iso/pc/text/mac_text/1992/nb920521

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(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00001)

HP Intros Tested, Network-Ready 386/25 PCs 05/21/92
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- Hewlett-
Packard (HP) says it has introduced a 386-based IBM compatible
personal computer (PC). The HP Vectra 386/25N PC is designed
for plug-and-play use on a network and tailored to attract companies
who want to upgrade their network to run Windows.

HP says the costs on a network are not the PCs alone. Support,
maintenance, and management costs can equal or out-weigh the
purchase price of the PCs, especially if there are problems. Bernard
Meric, marketing  manager of HP's Personal Information Products
Group said: "Real value comes over the life of a system. We've never
offered so many features at such a low price. More importantly, given
HP's high reliability, the HP Vectra 386/25N PC will continue to save
customers time and money long after they purchase the PC."

Problems getting PCs to work on a network can be convoluted and
difficult to find. Frank Derfler in the Connectivity column from the
November 20, 1991 issue of PC Magazine outlines the difficulties he
experienced getting a group of HP Vectra PCs to work on a Microsoft
LAN Manager Network System. The fix turned out to be a simple
change in the CONFIG.SYS file of the HP PCs that stopped a
conflict caused by an HP utility which was pre-loaded on each PC.

HP is now saying it pre-tests the Vectra 386/25N PCs with all
leading network operating systems, applications, and network-
adapter cards. In addition, the company says all HP Vectra
386/25N PC models in the United States configured with disk-drives
also come bundled with Microsoft Windows version 3.1, MS-DOS
5.0, and a mouse.

The Vectra PCs can be preconfigured with a 16-bit, standard,
unshielded twisted- pair, HP Ethertwist interface card with a 32
kilobyte (KB) input/output buffer which speeds up speed network
data transmission, according to HP. A boot read only memory
(ROM) enables the PC to boot up from the network server or from
a flexible- or hard-disk drive, HP added.

The company says it has added security features to prevent
unauthorized access to data, reduce the possibility of data
corruption, and protect data confidentiality. A system
administrator can use a password or a hardware switch that
protects current configurations and security settings. HP says the
hardware switch, unlike software-based security switches, avoids
conflicts with other software while allowing the user full access to
software applications.

The Vectras are also equipped with a chassis lock that guards
against unauthorized access to system hardware, and a front-panel
push-button that locks the keyboard and mouse and protects user
data, HP added.

HP is also saying the network-ready Vectras are competitively
priced. US list price starts at $1,149, HP said. Also, HP says the
Vectra information it has released is specific to the US and may
be different in the international market.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920521/Press Contact: Bliss Talbott, Hewlett-
Packard, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Public Contact:
800-752-0900)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TOR)(00002)

Study Looks At Canada's On-line Information Industry 05/21/92
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- A survey
of the Canadian electronic information industry reports a small
but rapidly growing sector of database publishers, information
providers, on-line service operators, and gateway services.

The Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC), whose
Information Industries Committee sponsored the study, said it
was the first such survey of the Canadian electronic information
industry ever undertaken.

Bob Gibson, chairman of the Information Industries Committee
and president of Toronto-based information services company
Micromedia, said the study was limited to companies the offer
electronic or computer-based information services to the public for
a fee, though not necessarily for profit. The survey included some
government agencies. ITAC identified 89 organizations in the
industry.

The survey estimated the industry has about C$250 million in
annual revenue. Comparing that to figures for the same sector in
the United States -- about US$6 billion according to ITAC's
counterpart, the Information Technology Association -- Gibson
said there is a great deal of potential for growth in this sector in
Canada. "If we just achieved five percent of the US industry
size, we would double in size," he said. Industry analysts often
use the rule of thumb that, based on the populations of the two
countries, a given sector should have about one tenth the
revenues in Canada that it has in the United States.

"Everything you need to know about a business or industry is
available somewhere in a database," said Janice Moyer, president
of ITAC. "Canadians must be able to keep up with these
competitive advantages."

Moyer said the survey is a first step in ITAC's efforts to promote
the growth of the electronic information industry and help meet its
needs.

Douglas Hobbs, incoming chairman of the Information Industries
Committee of ITAC, said current issues facing the industry include
access to government information, laws protecting privacy, value-
based pricing, and technology standards.

ITAC will be addressing these issues in various forums and in
representations to government in coming months, Gibson said.

The committee and the federal Department of Communications
are working on a business plan for what they call the Spirit
Initiative, an agency that would help to promote this industry. Huw
Morgan, director of marketing and database publishing at Toronto
electronic publisher Infomart, is heading that effort for ITAC. He
told Newsbytes the group hopes to launch the project formally this
fall and to hire at least one full-time employee by then.

(Grant Buckler/19920521/Press Contact: Heather Lawson, ITAC,
613-230-7298)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00003)

ICA Show: Omnipoint Offers Dual-Mode Phones 05/21/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- Omnipoint of
Colorado Springs, Colorado, made two bits of news during the
International Communications Association show in Atlanta.

First, McCaw Cellular Communications and Oracle announced
they will use Omnipoint technology in their planned wireless data
transmission network. They are seeking FCC approval of a new
slice  of radio spectrum which could, by 1994, become a wireless
data superhighway. McCaw and Oracle demonstrated their
technology on May 18.

For the short-term, however, Omnipoint preferred to discuss its
dual-mode pocket phones to visitors at the International
Communications Association show in Atlanta. The dual-mode
phones act as regular cellular phones outside the office, but if your
new private phone switch, or PBX (private branch exchange), has
wireless capability, you just press a button and get wireless service
without air-time charges.

The DS-800 uses so-called "spread spectrum" technology,
so internal communications at high frequencies can be offered
under the same rules as those cordless phones. Outside the
office, the company said, the DS-800 can work within 1,000 feet
of each public microcell. The phones work in an FCC authorized,
unlicensed frequency band between 902-928 MHz, meaning no
site licenses are required for installation, or upgrading, of private
networks based on its system.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920521/Press Contact: Mark Vonarx,
Omnipoint, 719-548-1200)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00004)

ICA Show: Metromedia Offers Automatic Discount Plan 05/21/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- Metromedia,
which calls itself the fourth-largest US full-service long distance
carrier, has introduced ExactCall, a new family of long distance
calling products that offers a customized discount tailored to
each month's bill.

Under the plan, the company tracks customers' calling patterns
each month, based on their bill, and applies a special discount
to outbound and inbound calls made to and from the most
frequently called interstate area codes and international
locations. Sprint offers a plan of relatively automatic discounts,
but Metromedia notes that its plan is automatic, and the
discount can change month-to-month, while Sprint suggests the
right plan for its customers based on longer-term calling
patterns. Metromedia said its plan offers savings of 22 percent
against AT&T's ProWATS service.

The ExactCall plan continues a trend which began a few years ago,
where companies competing with AT&T offer special discounts to
keep customers loyal, rather than trying to keep regular rates
far below those of the largest US carrier. In response, AT&T
has been trying to make special deals with its largest customers
to lock-in its current market share, now estimated at 65-70
percent, while using heavy name-brand advertising in the consumer
market.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920521/Press Contact: Metromedia, Carole
Smargon, 201-804-7275)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00005)

ICA Show: Intelsat Monopoly Challenged 05/21/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- While Intelsat
has been glorying in the Space Shuttle Endeavour's capture and re-
deployment of its Intelsat VI satellite, its monopoly is under
increasing challenge.

Intelsat is an international consortium created to control
satellite telecommunications. Its main rival for most of that
time was InterSputnik, a Soviet group now controlled by Russia.
But in the early 1980s a small firm called Alpha Lyracom, backed
by the founder of Univision, a Latin American broadcasting firm,
began pushing its own Pan American Satellite plan, saying that
Intelsat was not serving southern hemisphere and Third World
customers. After years of hassle, PanAmSat now serves the
Atlantic.

Now comes Columbia Communications of Honolulu. It doesn't have
any philosophical brief, it just wants to compete. Columbia won
an auction put on by NASA in 1989 of space capacity on two of its
satellites, one over the Pacific and one over the Atlantic.
Columbia bid $61 million for a six-year lease on 24 transponders,
12 over each ocean. NASA protested, but Columbia bested them in
court. Then Intelsat protested Columbia's service would interfere
with its plans to improve trans-Atlantic service. The US
government sided with Columbia in late 1991, making this the
first International Communications Association show for the new
outfit.

Columbia, however, has already dealt with much of its capacity
and financing problems, re-selling some of its Pacific
transponders to TRW, the company that actually made the
NASA satellites. At ICA, it was pushing $1,500/hour use
of its Atlantic transponders, against Intelsat's $2,500/hour cost,
for use in a variety of applications, including private networks.
On its success may ride the future of international satellite
competition.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920521/Press Contact: Columbia
Communications, Keith Collins, 202-429-9033)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00006)

Allied Telesis Offers Slim Version Of Transceiver 05/21/92
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) --
The Allied Telesis AT-210TS is a new, slimmer, version of the of
the AT-210T.

The AT-210TS converts a thick wire Ethernet connection through
an AUI port to a 10Base-T connection with an RJ45 connector. The
device also has the four LEDs (light emitting diodes) that present
information on power, link integrity, polarity detection, and heartbeat
test status, as well as an SQE switch.

The AT-210TS is compatible with the AUI ports that are on the back
of Sun Sparcstations and Macintosh II series computers with an
Ethernet adapter. The company's earlier model would not fit directly
in those computers due to its thickness, so an adapter cable was
required. The new model does fit directly so the adapter cable is no
longer necessary.

The AT-210TS is shipping now. It retails for $59.95.

(Naor Wallach/19920521/Press Contact: Derek Buckaloo, Allied
Telesis, 415-964-2994 ext 122)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00007)

Novell Intros LANalyzer For Netware 05/21/92
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- Novell has
taken the full featured LANalyzer product and distilled the essence
of it that it believes would be required for smaller networks and
packaged it in a new form that it is calling LANalyzer for Netware.

LANalyzer has always had the ability to work with Netware do not
be confused by the terminology. LANalyzer for Netware should be
viewed as a smaller, less capable, version of LANalyzer.

However, LANalyzer for Netware is directed at the situation
of a small Netware LAN that is not big enough to justify the
expenses of a full featured network analyzer like LANalyzer,
nor the services of a full-time network administrator.

The LANalyzer user interface is designed to simulate the dashboard
of a car. The program runs under Microsoft Windows and displays
three circular gauges that show network performance parameters in
real-time. The gauges show traffic rates, bandwidth utilization,
and error rates. A series of warning lights, audible alarms, and
text descriptions alert the operator to any problem that is occurring
on the network.

Windows GUI (graphical user interface) elements are also used to
assist the part-time network administrator in setting up filters for the
kinds of events that he is interested in. The program displays all of
the information that it can gather and the network administrator
simply selects by clicking, which events or protocols they should
be informed of.

Other features in LANalyzer for Netware include the ability to
actively query all network nodes for their names, and the ability to
capture and interpret Netware packets. This ability is found only
in LANalyzer and LANalyzer for Netware. Both these products are
the only ones that can decode Netware 2.X, Netware 3.X, and
Netware Lite packets. They also have the ability to store the
gathered statistics to a file on the hard disk so that trends can be
captured and analyzed. The trend data can be exported in standard
spreadsheet format for viewing and analysis.

LANalyzer for Netware runs on any PC that can run Microsoft
Windows 3.0 or higher. It will become available in June of this year.
LANalyzer for Netware will cost $1,495. To celebrate its arrival,
Novell is offering it for a reduced price of $995 until September.

(Naor Wallach/19920521/Press Contact: Kay Paumier,
Communications Plus for Novell, 510-656-8512)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00008)

IBM Moving Into FDDI/CDDI 05/21/92
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- IBM
has announced a slew of new products all aimed at increasing its
visibility as a player in the FDDI/CDDI (fiber data distribution
interface/copper data distribution interface) marketplace.

FDDI is a fiber optic network that can transfer data at a rate of 100
Mbps. CDDI is the same network only implemented across copper
cabling. Both of these are standardized networks that are coming
into greater prominence now as people are starting to strain the
capabilities of the 10 Mbps Ethernet and 16 Mbps Token Ring
standards.

IBM has introduced eight new products. The first is a FDDI
concentrator. This is known as the IBM 8240 FDDI Concentrator
and can connect up to 24 nodes together in a single network.
The concentrator supports both the fiber and the copper versions
and also allows the network administrator to swap boards while
the unit is powered (called hot swapping). In conjunction with the
concentrator, IBM has also announced the availability of an
Optical Fiber Device Attachment Module and a Copper Device
Attachment Module that will be the modules that sit in the
concentrator.

IBM has also announced a lineup of four network adapter units for
PS/2 computers. The four units allow for the choice of either
fiber or copper cabling and either one or two connections. The
ability to connect to more than one FDDI link is denoted by the
term "Extended" in the product name. So, the four adapter cards
are called Fiber Base Adapter/A, Fiber Extended Adapter/A,
Copper Base Adapter/A, and Copper Extended Adapter/A.

Finally, IBM has introduced a new FDDI-based network analyzer
product that will allow the network administrator to monitor the
performance and manage the operations of the FDDI network. This
product is known as the Dataglance Network Analyzer and is
based on the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

All of the units are expected to become available by September
25. Pricing is as follows: Base Unit 8240 $13,500; Optical Fiber
Device Attachment Module $6,140; Copper Device Attachment
Module $4,040; Fiber Base Adapter/A $3,995; Fiber Extender
Adapter/A $1,995; Copper Base Adapter/A $3,495; Copper
Extender Adapter/A $1,495; and the Dataglance Network
Analyzer $49,500.

(Naor Wallach/19920521/Press Contact: Dennis Drogseth,
IBM, 914-642-5474)




(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00009)

Japan: Business Show Opens In Tokyo 05/21/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- Japan's major computer
show, called Business Show opened in Harumi, Tokyo on May
20. A total of 366 firms, including 11 firms from overseas, have
joined the show, and 400,000 visitors are expected to show up
during the four-day period.

Lots of firms have exhibited 32-bit personal computers, notebook-
type personal computer, multimedia products, open systems, and
color versions of various office equipment.

Fujitsu has shown a notebook-type Unix workstation, which weighs
only 2.4 kilograms (kg) and is the lightest version among the Unix
workstations. The upper version has an 86 megabyte (MB) hard disk
and costs 650,000 yen ($5,000).

Fujitsu has also shown notebook-type color personal computers
with fast processing speed. These are the firm's FMR series, and
they support Windows.

Seiko-Epson has displayed an 80486-based 32-bit personal
computer. The firm says this PC is good at dealing with graphic
programs. Seiko-Epson claims that this PC is almost three times
faster than the existing counterparts. Seiko-Epson has also
introduced a low-cost laser printer for the Macintosh. The
LP2000LT costs only 198,000 yen ($1,500). It can print six
pages-per-minutes at 300 dots-per-inch.

NEC has shown the firm's high-end version of the PC-9801 series.
It is called the PC-9801FX and supports multimedia extensions
as well as Windows. This PC is equipped with a so-called
multimedia slot, which has a versatile feature -- a CD-ROM drive
unit and a hard disk unit can be equipped in the front side of
the machine.

Sharp has introduced a unique device, which is a hybrid machine
mas up of a personal computer and a Japanese word processor.
It is called Shoin Pasocom and supports both the DOS/V
operating system and MS-DOS. It is an all-in-type device -- a
printer, database, and spreadsheet are equipped on the machine.
It costs 330,000 yen ($2,500) to 590,000 yen ($4,500) depending
on the model.

NCR Japan has shown its latest pen computer. Sanyo and Oki
Electric have also shown pen computers. IBM Japan and NEC
have shown notebook-type personal computers equipped with a
radiowave modem, and Canon has shown a color video image
system, which is connected with the firm's still-camera and a
Macintosh.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920521)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00010)

Dell Mexico Is Fifteenth International Subsidiary 05/21/92
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- Dell Computer
has  announced the formation of Dell Computer de Mexico, the
company's fifteenth international subsidiary.

The Dell announcement said the new office will offer a full range of
Dell products, to include custom configurations and a complete
array  of customer service and support programs.

Dell has announced four new international offices within the last
two months, also opening facilities in Switzerland,
Czechoslovakia, and Poland.

The company said the opening ceremonies were attended by several
company officials, including Chairman and CEO Michael Dell. Dell
met with leaders in the business community and key government
officials to demonstrate the company's products.

Like any US company doing business in a foreign country, Dell can
expect some problems. Spokesperson Michelle Moore told
Newsbytes that the biggest challenges are in the communications
infrastructure. Moore said services like mail, telephone service,
and shipping within Mexico are sometimes slow. However, said
Moore, the company had similar problems when it opened its Italian
subsidiary about a year ago, and has overcome those problems.
"It's working better now," said Moore.

Moore said Dell's policy for all its wholly owned subsidiaries is to
hire local nationals to staff the facilities. Initially, about a dozen key
people will be hired, with the total staffing reaching about 100 in a
year or so.

Dell Computer de Mexico will be headed by General Director
Francisco Brown, a 20 year veteran of the high tech field. Prior to
joining Dell, Brown has held positions with subsidiaries of
International Telephone & Telegraph and GTE. He holds a
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and an MBA from
Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey.

In addition to marketing direct to customers in Mexico, Dell will
offer its products through Trionica office supply outlets and
through two Mexican technology integrators, Dau and Timon.

Dell said its international revenues have more than doubled in the
most recent fiscal quarter, which ended May 3, over the same
period last year. The company says international sales represent
about 38 percent of total revenues.

(Jim Mallory/19920521/Press Contact: Michele Moore, Dell
Computer, 512-343-3535; Reader contact: 800-289-3355)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00011)

 ****Microsoft Windows 3.1 Sales Hit Triple Platinum 05/21/92
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- Using
a simile from the recording industry, a record company executive
says Windows 3.1 sales have hit triple platinum in just six weeks.

The comment, made by Warner New Media President and CEO
Stan Cornyn, refers to the platinum designation given a record
which sells one  million copies. "Triple platinum in six weeks
makes Windows 3.1 the software equivalent of Madonna or Prince,"
said Cornyn.

Microsoft confirmed that more than three million copies of its
latest release of Windows have shipped. The company said resellers
are reporting "phenomenal" sales, which they attribute to customer
enthusiasm for the product's improvements. "We're selling five
times as many Windows 3.1 copies as we did 3.0," one reseller
reportedly told Microsoft. Some analysts are predicting that as
many as 10 million copies of Windows 3.1 will be sold in the first
year. Microsoft told Newsbytes it had pre-release orders for about
one million copies.

Also helping sales is the fact that more than 90 hardware makers
have jumped on Microsoft's bandwagon. Those companies, which
include eight of the top ten PC sellers, are offering Windows 3.1
factory-installed on customer's machines. Microsoft's Collins
Hemingway told Newsbytes that IBM and Compaq are not yet
offering Windows pre-loaded. With IBM pushing its OS/2 operating
system, its unlikely that Big Blue will ever appear on that list.

Microsoft also has a hardware certification program which tests a
manufacturer's PCs for compatibility with Windows 3.1. If the
machine passes the tests, it is officially certified as Windows-
compatible and can display a logo to that effect. Microsoft said
more than 1,200 different PC models have been Windows 3.1
certified.

(Jim Mallory/19920521/Press Contact: Collins Hemingway,
Microsoft, 206-882-8080)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00012)

Egghead Promotes Carol Lewis To Senior VP Of Admin 05/21/92
ISSAQUAH, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- Egghead
Software has announced that Carol Lewis has been promoted to
senior vice president of administration for the software discount
retailer.

Lewis, who was formerly VP of administration, will continue to
oversee Egghead's human resources, real estate, and legal
departments. She will also manage the company's real estate
assets and oversee its legal affairs. Egghead said Lewis' primary
responsibilities are to "create an environment where Egghead
employees can reach their full potential."

Egghead President Matthew Griffin said the promotion was
recognition of Lewis' contribution to the company. "She has steadily
increased her leadership role in the company as a member of our
senior management team," said Griffin.

Griffin credited Lewis with initiating programs such as charitable
contributions, volunteerism, and compensation plans. "We believe
her new title will more closely reflect the job she is performing,"
he said.

Egghead spokesperson Megan McKenzie told Newsbytes that
since September of last year, the company has committed 1.5
percent of its  pre-tax earnings to charities in the communities
where they open new stores. Egghead also gave $10,000 to the
Computer Learning Foundation. McKenzie said the company also
has a matching funds program which matches, up to $1,000, any
contribution made by an employee to a college or university.

McKenzie said Lewis also initiated a program that encourages
Egghead employees to volunteer time to non-religious and non-
political organizations. Under the program, Egghead will donate
$10 for each hour the employee gives to the organization. To
recognize the employees for their work, a check donation
ceremony is held for each project.

Lewis holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Political
Science from Stanford University, and earned a Masters in Public
Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

Prior to joining Egghead Lewis was deputy director of the Seattle
Center, where she was responsible for facilities maintenance,
transportation services, event support, contracts and concessions,
and long-range planning. She also has served as deputy Mayor for
the city of Seattle, guiding the city's budget office, personnel
department, and legal department.

(Jim Mallory/19920521/Press Contact: Megan McKenzie,
Egghead Software, 206-391-6266; Reader contact: 800-344-4323)
(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00013)

Apple Quadra Multimedia Education Bundle For $100 05/21/92
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- Apple
says that, for an extra $100, it is offering an educational multimedia
bundle for the purpose of making QuickTime movies and
presentations aimed at Higher Education and K-12 grade institutions
that purchase a Macintosh Quadra 700 or 950 system. The top of
the line Macintosh Quadra 950, was recently introduced by Apple
and replaces the Quadra 900 model.

The bundle includes a Supermac Videospigot Nubus card, Adobe
Premiere, Aldus Persuasion, and the QuickTime Content Collection,
Apple said. The Videospigot is a digital frame grabber for making
QuickTime movies or individual images from any television or video
source. Adobe Premiere is from Adobe Systems and allows the
combining of video, audio recordings, animation, still images, and
graphics for digital movies on a Macintosh. Aldus Persuasion from
Aldus Corporation is for making slides and presentations. However,
QuickTime movies and images can be incorporated into the
presentations.

The QuickTime Content Collection contains 40 megabytes (MB) of
video clips, Apple said. Bill Keegan of public relations for Apple
said the clips are examples of the things that can be done and
are short and sweet, with some only as long as 15 seconds.

Apple has historically aimed at the educational market, offering
low prices and lots of incentives to get Apple and Macintosh
computers into educational settings. Now the company is
introducing multimedia into the educational market with this
$100 offer.

However, the question arises whether or not educational institutions
will pay for the Quadra, the deluxe models of the Apple Macintosh
line, even with the estimated $1,500 worth of multimedia incentives
thrown in.

Newsbytes asked Bill Keegan of Apple if the company's traditional
educational discounts would also apply to the Quadra 700 and 950
computers. The answer was yes, but educational discount programs
available for the Quadras depend on the educational institution's
situation. Ball park figures for the discounts are about 40 percent,
Keegan added.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920521/Press Contact: Bill Keegan, Apple
Computer, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00014)

 ****Everex To Buy Northgate For Pennies A Share 05/21/92
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- Struggling
Everex, a "name brand" IBM compatible personal computer (PC)
manufacturer based in Fremont, California, says it plans to buy
Northgate, a mail order clone manufacturer based in Eden Prairie,
Minnesota.

The deal is interesting because of Everex's reputation for premium
priced PCs contrasted to Northgate, who is known for inexpensive
clones. Everex says it plans to obtain all Northgate's outstanding
capital stock in exchange for 750,000 shares of its common stock,
or about three percent of the Everex stock. This interprets to about a
hundred shares of Northgate stock for one share of Everex stock. At
current market prices Everex stock has been trading at between
$5.75 and $6.25 per share, which makes the Northgate stock worth
in the neighborhood of about 5 to 6 cents a share.

Everex has been struggling the last couple of years with its stock
price falling from 10 1/8 per share to a low of three per share in March
of last year. However, the company's stock is rising steadily to its
current range of about six a share. The stock jumped from about five
3/4 to six 1/2 when Everex announced it is getting a financial shot
in the arm from its lender, CIT/Credit Finance, who is increasing its
credit line, according to Everex representative Ann Butler.

The company announced its third quarter earnings after the financing
announcement and its stock has dropped back down to previous five
3/4 levels. Everex says it is in the black, with earnings of $2.44
million, compared to a loss of $1.5 million recorded the same quarter
a year ago. Everex says its cash position has improved from $3
million to $10.8 million but its short term borrowings have increased
from $34.9 million to $43.9 million. Year to date income is $4
million compared to net income the previous year of -$16.7 million.

While industry analysts are wondering if Everex has "bought a used
car" one wonders if a used car is all Everex can afford. Everex
maintains its purpose in the Northgate purchase is to entry into the
direct marketing channel and said it plans to continue to operate
Northgate as an independent business. The completion of the deal
is  subject to the customary government and shareholder approvals,
Everex added.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920521/Press Contact: Everex Systems,
Anne Butler, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00015)

 ****Industry Leaders Endorse New Software Licensing Method 05/21/92
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) --
More than 20 industry leaders have announced a licensing
specification that they say will provide a consistent software
licensing method.

License Service API ,jointly announced at the Software Publishers
Association (SPA) meeting in San Francisco today, is a consistent
way for application developers to incorporate software licensing into
their applications, proponents say. This in turn is expected to
help companies ensure compliance with licensing agreements when
using a developer's software.

SPA says the API (application program interface) will enable
software publishers to develop applications that cooperate with the
different licensing systems that will support the standard. A
License Service API-compliant application has licensing capabilities
built into the program, and requests permission to run. The
underlying licensing system, in turn, grants or denies permission
based on the availability of a license for the requesting application.

Microsoft also announced today that it would incorporate the License
Service API within its Windows Open Services Architecture. WOSA,
introduced by Microsoft in February, allows applications for Windows
to access information in a multivendor distributed computing
environment. WOSA specifications have been developed for
communication, database management, filing, printing, and security.
Microsoft said the License Service API fulfills a key part of WOSA by
offering a standard interface through which Microsoft Windows-based
applications can access different licensing services.

SPA and the Microcomputer Managers Association (MMA) say the
two organizations feel the industry needs a method for automating
license compliance which assists MIS managers and network
administrators in tracking the number of applications in use within
their organizations. Paper license agreements currently in use are
difficult to manage manually, and SPA and MMA say MIS managers
will benefit in that maintaining license conformance will be aided by
the License Service API-compliant applications.

Companies supporting License Service API include Apple, Banyan
Systems, Brightwork Development, CompuServe, Digital Equipment
Corporation, Funk Software, Gradient Technologies, Hewlett-Packard,
Highland Software, Interworks, Lotus, Micrografx, Microsoft, Netware
Masters Group, Novell, Open Software Foundation, Oracle,
Symantec, Tangram Systems, Wordperfect, and XTree.

"The cooperation of leading PC software publishers in our industry
to standardize the License Service API is a highly valuable service
to the industry and users," said Ken Wasch, executive director of
SPA. Wasch said that with corporate user networks becoming more
sophisticated, the specification is not only an imperative, but a
"win-win" for the industry and its customers.

According to SPA, a standard API will allow license systems to
track the use of all compliant applications. Currently applications
are either bound to a particular license system, incorporate their
own license management, or provide no license management at all.

(Jim Mallory/19920521/Press Contact: Ken Wasch, Software
Publishers Association, 202-452-1600 X310; Priscilla Tate,
Microcomputer Managers Association, 212-787-1122)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00016)

 ****US Trade Deficit Surges 05/21/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- As the Japanese
economy declines, the US trade deficit with that country rises
because of a major Japanese push to export. Trade numbers
released this week indicate that the US trade deficit, the
difference between what we export and what we import, jumped
to $5.8 billion in March, the highest level in nearly two years.

The $4 billion deficit in trade with Japan accounted for a large
part of the 76 percent increase in the total trade imbalance.
Japanese trade accounts for more than half the total US trade
deficit with the entire world.

Signs of hemispheric trade increases are heartening to those who
feel that, just as the European Community is tying up
Europe into a large trade block and Japan is doing the same for
Asia, the US should encourage the strengthening of a
North/South American trade block. In the first quarter of 1992
the US increased exports substantially to both Mexico and
Brazil.

Fears of a major trade war are growing as the Japanese push to
increase exports while continuing to restrict imports at the same
time that the US is trying to grow out of a prolonged recession
during an election year when the Democrats and Republicans
can be expected to push each other further and further in their
attempts to appear the most "pro-American."

Offsetting the increased trade deficit with Japan, the US again
showed a trade surplus with nearly every European country,
something which worries European trade negotiators as much
as Japan's trade surplus worries the US.

In other trade news, because of US pressure, Japan is now
planning to make it legal for foreigners to buy shares of the
national telephone company, Nippon Telephone and Telegraph.

Earlier this week the US Department of Commerce angered
Japanese automakers by declaring that they are selling mini-vans
imported into the US at below cost - an action known as "dumping."

US automakers and other manufacturers, such as microcomputer
chip makers, have often charged that Japanese companies use
dumping as an unfair method of undercutting prices and killing
off competition in other countries.

Recent television reports have stressed that Japanese companies
charge much higher prices for identical goods in their own home
markets where they have a captive customer base, and many
people see this as forcing the Japanese consumer to unfairly
subsidize production costs so the same goods can be sold for far
less overseas.

Some Japanese discount stores are now featuring Japanese-made
goods selling well below normal local retail prices in Tokyo. The
goods are purchased overseas and re-imported to Japan, but they
are still considerably cheaper than the same products made and
sold locally. Part of the difference is the lower cost overseas,
and the rest comes from the traditional many-tiered Japanese
marketing system where goods must pass through many hands,
with each person adding a tiny amount to the cost.

(John McCormick/19920521)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00017)

UK: Microsoft Unveils Integrated DOS/Windows Package 05/21/92
WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1992 MAY 21 (NB) --
Microsoft has announced it is releasing an integrated DOS 5.0 and
Windows 3.1 package. The UKP 149 "combi" package represents
a savings of UKP 10 on buying the software as two units, but the
idea is not so much to save the PC user money, more one of
convenience.

The release of the integrated package comes just weeks after IBM
announced that it is factory-installing OS/2 on its PCs. The UK
version of the combi package is available in three forms -
original equipment manufacturer (OEM), general PC, and PS/2 --
all of which will sell for UKP 149. It is the third version, the PS/2
package, that Microsoft intends to heavily promote to PS/2 users
and Big Blue's resellers.

All three versions will ship in the UK in mid-June. Dave Smith,
systems marketing manager with Microsoft UK, said that, in a
series of tests, Windows performed two to five times faster than
OS/2 in running applications.

"As a result, customers are asking us to provide an alternative.
The overwhelming majority of customers buying PS/2s are using
MS-DOS or MS-DOS and Windows. This package gives all our
customers the flexibility to choose the system that best meets
their needs," he said.

Interestingly, Microsoft has coded the PS/2 version of the
DOS/Windows combi package to run exclusively on IBM PS/2s.
This is because the package has been optimized for the PS/2
environment. It has also been configured to install over OS/2,
which comes pre-installed on PS/2 machines here in the UK.

What about existing users of DOS? Microsoft is allowing them to
upgrade to the combi pack for UKP 99, so allowing them to install
DOS 5.0 as well as Windows 3.1.

(Steve Gold/19920521/Press & Public Contact: Microsoft,
0734-270001)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00018)

UK: Fujitsu Announces One Gigabyte 3.5-Inch Floppy Drive 05/21/92
UXBRIDGE, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- Fujitsu
Europe has announced it is supplying one gigabyte (GB) versions
of its 3.5-inch floppy drive on request on its PCs. The company
expects a high demand for the drives from mid- to high-end users.

"We see our new M2694 drives as being of particular appeal to mid-
to high-end systems where, previously, such capacities were only
available in 5.25-inch format," said Joe Jura, Fujitsu's storage
products manager.

In addition to the one GB data capacity, the new drives offer
improved access times and a mean-time-between-failure (MTBF)
rate of 300,000 power-on hours.

Dataquest, the market analyst and research organization,
responded favorably to the news that Fujitsu is offering the
drives as an option for PC users. "This announcement is another
indication of the application of Fujitsu technology to position
the company as a capacity and performance leader," commented
Phil Devin, Dataquest's vice president and chief analyst for the
company's storage technology division.

"The 3.5-inch gigabyte market is in its infancy, and this product
has a good chance to attain strong market share," he added.

Dataquest predicts that around six million drives in the one to two
GB data storage arena will be sold before the end of 1995. This
values the market at around $4,500 million, the company said.

The one GB capacity of the M2694 drive is made possible by
pushing existing floppy disk technology to the limits. The drive
uses thin film heads and thin film, high-coercivity sputtered media,
to push data recording densities to 48,724 bits-per-inch (bpi).
This works out to be 107 megabytes (MB) an inch -- an increase
of more than 30 percent over previous generation drives.

(Steve Gold/19920521/Press & Public Contact: Fujitsu Europe,
081-573-4444)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00019)

Taligent Seniors Lined Up For Object Expo Europe 05/21/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- Joe Gugliemlmi,
chairman and CEO, and Ed Birss, president, of Taligent, have
been signed to talk at Object Expo Europe, the programming
exposition scheduled in mid-July.

According to the exposition organizers, Guglielmi will be
presenting his keynote speech to delegates on July 15.
He will also be one of the key panelists at a private briefing
entitled "The realties of object technologies," which takes place
on July 17.

Announcing Taligent's involvement in the exposition, Gugliemi
said that the computer industry "requires a new object-based
systems infrastructure to provide the tremendous productivity
gains acknowledged with object-oriented programming."

The exposition will be Guglielmi's first European appearance.
Taligent is the joint venture between Apple and IBM. Guglielmi
comes from IBM, where he was general manager of PS/1 and
PS/2 marketing and business development.

Further information on Object Expo Europe can be obtained from
the organizers on 0306-77331 in the UK, and 212-274-0640 in
North America.

(Steve Gold/19920521/Press Contact: Tim Lewis, tel [phone],
fax [phone]; email on Usenet - [e-mail])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00020)

British Telecom Posts UKP 3,070M Profits For Year 05/21/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- British Telecom has
announced its first reduction in profits since 1974, but has
received acclaim from its critics. This seemingly paradoxical
situation materialized today in London as BT officials revealed
that the telecoms giant had generated UKP 3,070 million profits
for the year to 31 March, 1991, compared with UKP 3,075 million
for the previous year.

BT officials were quick to counter press comments that this
works out to a profit level of UKP 97 a second, with the revelation
that UKP 77 a second was spent on network investment, and a
staggering UKP 140 a second went out of the door on staff
salaries alone.

Industry experts were not fooled, however. The chairman of the
Telecommunications Users Association, an independent body of
major users of BT services, said that, while the 0.1 percent
profits fall was paralleled by a slight improvement in service,
there was still a long way to go. "BT is still a lot less efficient
than many major companies. That's clearly unacceptable," he said.

The Europe-wide recession appears to have put the brakes on
customer call expenditure. Despite a number of rises on the call
charge front, inland UK call revenue remain stable at UKP 7,170
million -- up one percent on last year. International call
revenue, meanwhile, actually fell by one percent to UKP 1,790
million. Analysts say that profits of the international call
market has been creamed off by competing companies such as
Mercury Communications.

Analysts suggest that, despite the profits reduction, Oftel, the
British government's telecoms regulatory watch-dog, will further
restrict price rises from BT. Currently, BT is restricted to
increases of the retail price index (RPI - a measure of
inflation) less 6.25 percent. Most analysts expect that this
limit will be hiked by one percent.

BT Chairman Iain Vallance said that his company is playing a
balancing act between the interests of shareholders and Oftel, as
well as customers and employees.

"We believe that, in terms of that balancing act last year was
not a bad year at all," he said, adding that share dividends were
being increased from 13.3 pence last year to 14.4 pence this
year. The dividend increase, he said, has been made possible by
the company's prudent policy on dividends in the past.

"I would hope that the customers would be very pleased indeed
with the improvements in quality of service which we've delivered
yet again during that year (1991/92). Customers may even derive
some satisfaction from the fact that our profits have gone down a
little," he said.

(Steve Gold/19920521)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00021)

Netherlands' PTT Telecom In US Electronics Venture 05/21/92
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- PTT
Telecom, the Dutch telecoms company, has teamed up with AMR
Corporation and CSX in the US to form Encompass Europe, a
European company that will offer an electronic shipping information
service.

All three companies have a one third stake in the new company.
Encompass is 50:50 owned by AMR and CSX in the US. The plan
is to create and link a European shipping system to the existing
US network, which has been operational for the last four years.

According to Encompass, Encompass Europe was created to
meet demand for a European on-line shipping information service.
Encompass Europe expects to have around 30 major clients by
the end of this year.

(Steve Gold/19920521)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00022)

 ****Sierra Intros Nationwide Flat Rate 05/21/92
OAKHURST, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- The
Sierra  Network joined the trend toward flat rates for nationwide
on-line services with a $12.95 per month plan which includes all the
company's services, including games, conferencing, and electronic
mail.

Under the plan, users can play chess, checkers, bridge, cribbage,
and more, with other people on the network for up to 30 hours per
month during evenings and weekends. Options for additional play
time over the initial 30 hours and weekday use are also
available. Also included in the offering are live chat services,
conferencing, tournament play, electronic mail, and use of
electronic bulletin boards with topics ranging from politics to
poetry.

A number of other services, including CompuServe and GEnie,
have introduced flat-rate pricing, which was initially aimed at the
Prodigy service. But most of the other bundles limit activities
to certain sections of the services. Prodigy limits electronic
mail use on its bundles, and adds advertising to every screen.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920521/Press Contact: Jeff Leibowitz,
The Sierra Network, 209-642-0700)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00023)

 ****Wisconsin Plan Aimed At 900-Number Fraud 05/21/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- Officials
from 45 states agreed to join with Sprint, AT&T and MCI in a
plan to fight fraud on caller-paid "900" lines.

In the plan, first put in place by Attorney General James Doyle of
Wisconsin, any state official can quickly get the carriers to
quickly review a program, block access to it, provide access to
information on callers, and hold-up payments on all calls made to
the line. The officials feel this last is most important, because
if accused criminals are paid prior to completion of an investigation,
they will go on to other crimes. In addition, the carriers promised
careful reviews of all ads for "900" numbers, and will take-down
any numbers if any part of any ad is considered deceptive.

The carriers have been working hard to "clean up" the 900 code
so it can be used for such things as political fund raising and
packaged goods marketing. The carriers first cut-off access to
services thought to be sexually suggestive, then initiated
reviews of programs. A decision to prevent carriers from cutting-
off regular phone service from people who refuse to pay for such
calls led to the closing of one of the largest carriers, Telesphere,
and a tightening of rules by the other carriers.

Doyle claimed in a news conference that the agreements have been
working well in Wisconsin over the past eight months, with his
office being instrumental in the closing of six services. The
agreements are a cheaper and faster resolution to 900 number
abuse than lawsuits, he added.

However, the rules still will not stop the odor coming from the
exchange, which in any case would take years to melt away.
Many of the most popular numbers today offer such things as
horoscopes  and silly recordings from sports stars like Chicago
Bull back-up center Will Perdue. The lines have also become
popular for contests, often sponsored by cable networks. It
remains an open question whether packaged goods companies
and politicians want to be part of the same exchange frequented
by the kind of people who advertise in national tabloids.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920521)

(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00024)

 ****In-Flight Phone Opens Service On USAir 05/21/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- In-Flight Phone,
the company started by AirFone founder Jack Goeken after, he
felt, GTE did him wrong after acquiring that company, is finally
in business. The company opened its FlightLink digital airplane
phone service on a USAir 757 aircraft. A press release about the
opening was faxed directly to Newsbytes' Atlanta office from the
aircraft.

Because it is a digital service, not analog as is AirFone,
passengers can make static-free telephone calls, send messages
to fax machines, retrieve stock quotes, and even play electronic
games - all without ever leaving their seat. Goeken called it, "a
total passenger communications system." FCC Chairman Al Sikes
called it "yet another opportunity to advance technology, foster
competition, and expand customer choice."

FlightLink consists of a telephone handset and an LCD (liquid
crystal display) view screen. To use FlightLink, a passenger
removes the handset from beneath the armrest and uses the
buttons to choose a service from the view screen's graphical
menu. Simple instructions appear on the screen to guide the
unfamiliar user. In-Flight Phone plans to add connecting gate
information, ground-to-air passenger paging, aircraft position
tracking, reservations, catalog shopping, weather, and current
news to the system. Passengers will also be able to connect
portable computers and fax machines directly to the system.

Aside from the benefits to the air traveler, FlightLink also
offers operational control benefits to the airline industry,
including air-to-ground communications links, dispatching
functions, and on-board liquor inventory control. "Soon, flight
attendants will be able to accept credit card payment for
beverages," predicted Goeken.

Still, In-Flight's path to profit is not clear. Most of the
larger, more profitable US airlines, like American, have
already committed to AirFone's new SeatFone concept, which
puts ordinary telephones in every seat row on an airliner. So far,
only five USAir jets are equipped with the system, and further
installations depend on the system proving popular. AirFone has
its system on 1,700 airliners. Also, calls on In-Flight's system
still cost $2 per minute, the same price as with AirFone,
although some services which don't require a constant link to the
ground will cost less. Video games, for instance, will cost just
$2 per flight, and news headlines will be displayed free.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920521/Press Contact: In-Flight Phone,
Darren S. Leno, 708-573-2660)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00025)

Lotus Upgrades cc:Mail For DOS 05/21/92
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) --
Lotus  Development has released an upgrade to its cc:Mail
electronic mail software for DOS. cc:Mail MS-DOS Platform Pack
version 4.0 adds the ability to launch applications from document
attachments, improves support for expanded memory, and adds
other new features, Lotus said.

Lotus said it has improved the terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR)
capability that allows cc:Mail to stay in memory while other
applications are running. By loading the software into expanded
memory, Lotus said it has reduced the main memory occupied by
cc:Mail in TSR mode to as little as 1.5 kilobytes (KB). While the
software worked as a TSR before, said Susan Challenger, director
of business development, the change makes the feature more
practical for most users.

MS-DOS Platform Pack version 4.0 lets users launch applications
from document attachments in a message. This feature, already
available in the Windows and Macintosh versions of cc:Mail, is
unique in DOS electronic mail packages, Challenger told Newsbytes.
It allows users to launch document attachments for editing directly
within cc:Mail, without having to save documents to disk first.

A new built-in spell checker, licensed from publisher Houghton
Mifflin, provides a 190,000-word dictionary. The MS-DOS version of
cc:Mail is the first to offer this, Challenger said, but it will be
added to the next release of the Windows version.

The new release also adds "draft" and "trash" folders. Draft folders
allow users to save "in progress" messages for completion later,
Lotus said. Trash folders let users retrieve previously deleted
messages, reducing the impact of end-user errors.

Version 4.0 also lets users locate messages by person, date,
priority level, and/or key words. Keyword searching allows users to
find messages by searching for specific words in the body of a
message, Lotus said. For example, a user could search for all
documents delivered from John Smith that include the word "sales"
in the body of the text.

Version 4.0 sports new administrative features, including a new
version of the "Admin" module, improved reporting capabilities, and
support for up to 493,000 entries compared to 64,000 previous
entries in the cc:Mail directory. Users of the Windows version of
cc:Mail use the same Admin module, Challenger noted, so they will
also have access to the new features.

The new release also offers configurable text editor keys,
PostScript printer support, and an improved user interface, Lotus
said. FaxView, previously a separate product, is now included free
in version 4.0. FaxView, working with Lotus' cc:Fax software, lets
users view faxes as incoming mail messages.

The suggested retail price for cc:Mail MS-DOS Platform Pack
Version 4.0 is $295.  It is now shipping in the United States. Users
of Version 3.2 or 3.21 can upgrade for $95. Users of Version 3.15 or
earlier can trade up for $125.

cc:Mail runs on DOS, Macintosh, OS/2, and Windows platforms
across all major local area networks, Lotus said, and can connect
to all major private and public electronic mail systems and facsimile
machines worldwide.

(Grant Buckler/19920521/Press Contact: Nancy Scott, McGlinchey
& Paul for Lotus, 617-862-4514)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TOR)(00026)

New For Mac: PerForm Pro Filler From Delrina 05/21/92
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- Delrina
Technology has released a version of its PerForm Pro Filler software
that runs on the Apple Macintosh. The filler module lets Macintosh
users fill in electronic forms created using PerForm Pro on DOS
PCs running Microsoft Windows.

The Macintosh PerForm Pro Filler has essentially the same features
and capabilities as existing versions for DOS and Windows, said
Shelly Sofer, a spokesman for Delrina.

PerForm Pro Filler Macintosh edition works with Apple System 7.0
or 6.0.5, Delrina said. It supports all color and monochrome screen
resolutions and font technologies on the Macintosh. To run the
software, a Macintosh must have at least one megabyte (MB) of
memory and a hard disk. The Macintosh Super Drive and a laser
printer are "desirable," Delrina said.

Delrina has no plans to launch a Macintosh version of the full
PerForm Pro package, which can be used to create forms as well as
to fill them in, Sofer said. He said the company's market research
indicates that in most companies only a few people create forms,
and the availability of that function on every platform is not usually
a major issue.

Thus, Sofer said, Delrina's strategy is to use Windows as the
platform for the forms creation capability but make the forms
filling capability available on a range of systems. In addition to
the existing Windows, DOS, and Macintosh fillers, Delrina plans a
version of PerForm Pro Filler for pen-based computers shortly, he
said.

PerForm Pro Filler Macintosh Edition is priced at US$199
 or C$239.

(Grant Buckler/19920521/Press Contact: Josef Zancowicz
or Shelly Sofer, Delrina Technology, 416-441-3676,
fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00027)

IBM Canada Signs RS/6000 Distributor 05/21/92
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- IBM
Canada has signed up the first national distributor to handle some
of its RISC System/6000 desktop workstations. Tech Data Canada
will distribute the RS/6000 models 220 through 350 to resellers
across the country.

Tech Data's experience in dealing with small business makes it well
suited to handle the smaller RS/6000 machines, said Karen Grant, a
spokeswoman for IBM. IBM will continue to deal directly with
resellers for sales of the larger RS/6000 server machines, she
added.

All resellers handling the desktop RS/6000 models will now deal
with Tech Data. The distributor will also recruit new resellers,
whose applications for authorization will be reviewed by IBM, Grant
said. The companies said the resellers' ability to add value to the
hardware, their existing knowledge of the Unix operating system or
IBM's AIX variant of Unix, their success in the market, and their
"commitment to quality" would be criteria in choosing new resellers.

Tech Data Canada, which has been in business since 1984, has its
head office in Mississauga, Ontario, near Toronto, and a distribution
facility in Vancouver. It is a subsidiary of Tech Data Corp., a US
distributor based in Clearwater, Florida.

(Grant Buckler/19920521/Press Contact: Karen Grant, Willis
Consulting Group for IBM Canada, 416-599-9060; Marianne C.
Kupina, Tech Data Canada, 416-795-2365)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00028)

Data Compression PC Pkg Removes Without Reformatting 05/21/92
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- As
programs get bigger, hard disk space seems smaller and data
compression products are trying to fill the gap. Another player,
Santa Clara, California-based Integrated Information Technology (IIT)
has joined the line of data compression products with Xtradrive.

Xtradrive is both hardware and software, much like the Stacker
compression product that comes with and without the coprocessor
card, and also boasts disk doubling capability. However, Xtradrive's
producers say that the software's main difference is it takes less
memory to use and it will not reformat the hard disk drive. The
hardware coprocessor card requires the software and the same
amount of memory, but IIT says users can expect 30 percent faster
performance with the board.

The software works with Microsoft Windows, will compress DOS
and Windows swap files safely, has extended memory support
(EMS) support built in, does not require a reformat of the hard disk
drive if uninstalled, and maintains the original drive designations
after installation, IIT said.

The Xtradrive product appears to the user as a second drive on the
system. So, for example, if the user has a 20 megabyte (MB) hard
disk drive before the installation, afterward there will be two 20 MB
drives. Like most data compression products, IIT says the product
is transparent to the user. This is possible as the time savings in
writing less data to the hard disk drive offsets the time it takes to
compress the data and the compression product can then
compress the data without the user being aware of it, or
transparently.

The company claims the LZ-based compression algorithm used in
the hardware accelerator board is 10 times more efficient than other
compression algorithms. Also, IIT says the whole program only
uses 25 kilobytes (KB) of the system RAM to run.

The amount of compression a user can get depends on the type
of applications that are running. Database files compress to many
times their former size, but executable programs may not compress
much at all. IIT says on the average, users can expect a 2:1
compression ratio for the standard types of applications most likely
found on a IBM or compatible personal computer (PC) hard disk
drive.

IIT says the Xtradrive software is available now and is priced at
$99. The Xtradrive Hardware board will follow in approximately 45
days, the company added, at a retail price of $199.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920521/Press Contact: Jackie Rae, The
Hoffman Agency, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Bob Seltzer,
Integrated Information Technology, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00029)

Computerland To Offer Own Brand "Mail Order Priced" PCs 05/21/92
PLEASANTON, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) --
Computerland says it is introducing its own line of upgradeable IBM
compatible personal computers (PCs) priced to compete with mail
order houses, and called Trion. The company says the Trion line is
designed and engineered by Chips and Technologies and is
compatible with Industry Standard Architecture (ISA)

Computerland says it can offer customers 400 branches with 2,300
service personnel when they buy a Trion system. Though
Computerland's President Ed Anderson stated the IBM, Apple, and
Compaq brands will remain first priority and will be "recommended"
for "mission-critical environments," it wants to get a piece of the
clone pie from business customers who "... are buying increasing
numbers of lower-cost 'clones' from an ever-changing parade of
packagers."

Computerland says the Trion can be configured with a 33 megahertz
(MHz) 80386DX, a 20 MHz or 33 MHz 80486SX, or a 50 MHz
80486DX central processing units (CPUs) from Intel. The Trion
comes with a super video graphics array (SVGA) display composed
of video RAM-based Chips 82C453 Ultra VGA Controller, which
supports the 14-inch, 1024 by 768, .28 millimeter (mm) dot pitch
color monitor shipped with the Trion system.

The Trion can also be configured with an IDE-compatible 52
megabyte (MB), 105 MB, 120 MB, or 240 MB Quantum hard disk
drive and 4 MB of RAM. A 101 keyboard, a three button Microsoft-
compatible mouse come with the system and MS-DOS 5.0 and
Windows 3.1 come installed as well.

As an example of the pricing, the 33 MHz 80386DX Trion Modular
System with a 105 MB drive and SVGA monitor retails for $2,095,
Computerland said. An entry-level, non-upgradeable system is
available now while the modular systems are expected in late June,
the company added.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920521/Press Contact: Steve Taylor,
Computerland, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00030)

 ****HP Offers Mainframe Power, 80% Less Maint Cost Minis 05/21/92
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 MAY 21 (NB) -- Hewlett-
Packard (HP) has announced a new class of reduced instruction-set
computer (RISC)-based minicomputers it hopes will attract
business mainframe users. The attraction is reduced cost and higher
performance, as HP claims the planned RISC-based machines are 80
percent cheaper to own than mainframes and more powerful than 90
percent of the IBM mainframes currently installed.

Market research firm Dataquest says 46 percent of the mainframe
sites surveyed in 1991 are in the process of "downsizing" or
replacing mainframes with minicomputers, workstations, and personal
computers. HP plans to take advantage of the downsizing trend with
its newly announced minicomputers called the Corporate Business
System, expected to be available this fall.

HP asserts the minicomputers have the advantages of requiring
significantly less support staff than mainframes, are air-cooled, and
use HP's Precision Architecture-RISC (PA-RISC) technology. HP
says over 100 IBM mainframe customers have offloaded or replaced
applications from their mainframes to HP's business systems and
servers.

Physically smaller, the minicomputers are the size of the average
refrigerator, HP said, compared to traditional mainframes that would
fill the average kitchen. A 400 transactions-per-second processing
speed makes the Corporate Business Systems more powerful than
90 percent of the IBM mainframes currently in business installations
and allows the minis to support thousands of users, HP added.

List prices for the high-end Corporate Business Systems are less
than one third of the cost of DEC VAX 9000 mainframes and one-fifth
the cost of IBM ES/9000, HP maintains. The five mid-range models
of the HP 3000 Corporate Business Systems range from $365,000
to $925,000, while the four low-end models of the HP 9000 Corporate
Business Servers are priced between $335,000 to $650,000, HP
added.

Hewlett-Packard also designs and produces workstation computers,
desktop laser printers, test and measurement devices, and software.
The Palo Alto, California-based company recently reported a 40
percent increase in revenues for its second quarter of 1992 with
earnings of $326 million.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920521/Press Contact: Jill Kramer, Hewlett-
Packard, tel [phone], fax [phone])